event was marching, marching toward us. We thought we caught the music
of it; any moment heralds, banners, might flame at end of road. We were
watching for the Marriage Procession; we were watching for Kings, for
the Pope, for I know not what! But there was certain to be largesse.

I went among the mariners. Sancho met me, a young man whom then and
afterwards I greatly liked. "Well, we've had luck, senor! Saint Noah
himself, say I, wasn't any luckier!"

"Yes, we've done well!"

Beltran the cook's great easy voice rolled in. "Fear's your only
barnacle, say I!"

Luis Torres said, "When I studied Arabic and the Hebrew, I thought it
was for the pleasure of it. They said around me, 'How you waste your
time!' But now some about the Grand Khan should know Arabic. I will be
of use."

Pedro said, "Well, it has turned out better than any reasonable man
could have expected!" and Fernando, "Yes, it has! Of course there may be
witches. I've heard it said there are great necromancers in India!"

"Necromancers! That's them that show you a thing and then blow it
away--"

I said, "Do you not know that all of us are the only necromancers?"

"Did you see," asked Sancho, "the glistering in the water? Are we going
to lie to after midnight? Saint George! I would like to plunge in and
swim!"

On poop deck, Diego de Arana called me to him. "Well, Doctor, how goes
it?" He and I rested good friends. I said, "Why, it goes well."

"I was thinking, watching the moon, how little I ever dreamed, being no
sea-going man, of such a thing as this. Who knows his fate? A man's a
strange matter!"

"He is a ballad," I answered. "One stave leads to another and the story
mounts."

"I cannot think what to-morrow may show us!"

"Nor can I! But it will be important. We enter by a narrow strait great
widths of the future."

"There will be great changes, doubtless. Our world is growing little.
Everybody feels that we must push out! It isn't only Spain, but all
kingdoms."

Pedro Gutierrez joined us. "You are a learned man, Doctor! What like are
the women of Cipango?"

The moon, past the full yet strong enough to silver this vast shield,
rose higher. The sails of the _Pinta_ and the Nina were curves of
pearl, our sails above us pale mountains. The light dimmed our lanterns.
Crowned woman at our prow would be bathed in it as she ran across
Ocean-Sea. It washed our decks, pricked out our moving men. They cast
shadows. The master had served out an